THE  UNIVERSITY 

OF  ILLINOIS 

LIBRARY 


.    >O 


BULLETIN  No.  198 


SOYBEANS  AND  COWPEAS  IN  ILLINOIS 


BY  W.  L.  BUELISON  AND  O.  M.  ALLYN 


URBANA,  ILLINOIS,  APRIL,  1917 


SUMMARY  OF  BULLETIN  No.  198 

SOYBEANS 

GENERAL  SUGGESTIONS. — The  soybean  is  an  annual  legume  crop,  and  usually 
requires  inoculation.  Fundamental  principles  observed  for  the  growing  of  alfalfa 
or  corn  are  applicable  for  the  growing  of  soybeans.  Pages  3-6 

Thirty  to  forty  pounds  of  seed  per  acre  will  be  sufficient  when  the  beans  are 
planted  in  rows.  If  sown  broadcast,  one  bushel  to  six  pecks  will  be  required. 

Page  4 

Early  soybeans  should  be  used  in  a  rotation  where  wheat  follows,  even  tho 
the  yields  of  these  varieties  are  lower  than  the  yields  of  later  varieties. 

Pages  6,  12,  15 

CENTRAL  ILLINOIS. — Haberlandt,  Hong  Kong,  Chestnut,  Amherst,  Ebony, 
Sherwood,  Meyer,  and  Nuttall  are  leading  varieties  in  central  Illinois,  for  seed 
production.  Ebony  is  a  standard,  consistent-yielding,  medium-late  variety.  Medium 
Yellow,  altho  not  a  high-yielding  variety  in  seed,  is  an  early  type,  and  for  this 
reason  it  is  usually  planted  when  winter  wheat  is  to  follow  soybeans.  Pages  6-11 

SOUTHERN  ILLINOIS. — For  southern  Illinois  Medium  Yellow  is  considered  the 
best  early  variety  of  soybeans.  Ebony  is  a  desirable  late  variety.  It  produces 
good  yields  of  seed  and  hay;  the  beans  possess  high  quality;  and  the  plants 
retain  their  leaves  well.  Pages  12-15 

CHARACTERISTICS  OP  VARIETIES  OF  SOYBEANS.  Pages  16-18 

COWPEAS 

Cowpeas  are  rather  unsatisfactory  for  central  Illinois  as  compared  with  soy- 
beans. They  are  also  distinctly  less  desirable  for  southern  Illinois,  except  on 
poor,  unfertilized,  sour  soil,  where  they  may  be  more  hardy  and  therefore  the  better 
crop  to  raise.  Pages  15,  19-20 


SOYBEANS  AND  COWPEAS  IN  ILLINOIS 

BY  W.  L.  BURLISON,  ASSOCIATE  CHIEF  IN  CROP  PRODUCTION,  AND 
O.  M.  ALLYN,  FIRST  ASSISTANT  IN  CROP  PRODUCTION 

SOYBEANS 

The  soybean  has  rapidly  gained  popularity  in  Illinois  during  the 
last  ten  years  because  it  fits  so  well  into  systems  of  farming  when 
clover  fails,  and  because  it  thrives  in  this  climate  under  soil  condi- 
tions which  either  exist  or  which  the  farmer  can  provide. 

Soybeans  may  serve  a  variety  of  purposes,  but  up  to  the  present 
time  the  crop  has  been  cultivated  primarily  for  seed  production.  On 
a  more  or  less  limited  scale  it  will  be  found  profitable  for  soiling  cattle 
and  sheep.  As  a  hay  crop  it  is  satisfactory  for  most  classes  of  live 
stock.  "When  pastured  by  hogs  and  cattle,  it  gives  profitable  returns. 
When  clover  fails,  soybeans  may  well  be  grown  as  a  green  manure  for 
soil  improvement. 

For  years  the  soybean  has  been  cultivated  in  Japan  and  China, 
mainly  for  human  food  and  for  oil.  It  was  first  cultivated  in  the 
United  States  in  1829,  but  was  little  known  until  1854.  Since  then 
the  crop  has  spread  to  many  parts  of  the  United  States. 

SOIL  AND  CLIMATIC  REQUIREMENTS 

Soybeans  are  not  very  particular  in  their  soil  requirements,  but 
they  grow  best  on  well-drained  soils  containing  plenty  of  limestone. 
For  the  successful  production  of  soybeans,  inoculation  is  usually  nec- 
essary. 

The  climatic  requirements  for  soybeans  are  about  the  same  as  for 
corn.  Altho  they  are  not  particularly  sensitive  to  an  abundance  of 
moisture,  they  will  not  thrive  where  water  stands  for  any  extended 
length  of  time.  They  are  hardy  and  will  resist  drouth  and  consider- 
able cold  weather,  even  when  young,  and  they  are  still  more  resistant 
when  they  have  advanced  toward  maturity.  It  is  claimed  that  in  the 
fall  the  leaves  of  some  varieties  will  not  be  killed  when  the  temperature 
falls  as  low  as  27  degrees  Fahrenheit.  "If  the  pods  are  fairly  well 
filled  before  a  killing  frost  occurs,  they  will  usually  ripen  satisfac- 
torily."1 

Forage  and  Fiber  Crops  (Maemillan). 


BULLETIN  No.  198 


PLANT  CHARACTERISTICS 


[April, 


The  soybean  is  a  legume  plant,  and  has  many  points  in  common 
with  clover,  alfalfa,  cowpeas,  and  field  peas.  It  is  an  annual ;  that  is, 
it  must  be  planted  each  year.  It  possesses  a  strong  main  stem  from 
one  to  three  feet  tall  and  more  or  less  branched.  The  seed  pods  are 
pea-like  and  profusely  distributed  along  the  main  stem.  Most  of  the 
varieties  have  many  leaves.  Some  types  shatter  badly;  which,  of 
course,  is  undesirable.  The  soybean  varies  greatly  in  many  of  its 
qualities,  and  it  is  advisable  to  select  varieties  with  the  following  char- 
acteristics :  high  yield ;  upright  habits  of  growth ;  plants  not  so  coarse 
that  the  hay  would  be  undesirable ;  ability  to  hold  leaves ;  little  or  no 
tendency  to  shatter ;  and  resistance  to  disease. 

CULTURE 

Altho  soybeans  will  grow  on  the  poorer  soils,  they  respond  to 
good  soil  conditions.  The  same  fundamental  principles  observed  for 
the  growing  of  alfalfa  or  corn  are  applicable  to  this  crop,  including 
the  preparation  of  a  good  seed  bed. 

It  is  a  very  common  practice  in  central  Illinois  not  to  seed  soy- 
beans until  the  last  of  May,  but  there  is  no  danger  if  seeding  is  done 
as  early  as  May  10,  or  as  early  as  it  is  customary  to  plant  corn.  Early 
maturing  varieties  may  be  seeded  as  late  as  June  15,  or  even  a  little 
later.  A  number  of  instances  have  been  reported  where  soybeans  have 
been  planted  as  late  as  June  20  and  good  results  obtained. 

Thirty  to  forty  pounds  of  seed  per  acre  will  be  found  sufficient 
when  the  beans  are  planted  in  rows,  provided  the  seed  germinates 
well.  If  sown  broadcast,  a  bushel  to  six  pecks  will  be  found  advisable 
with  the  medium-sized  bean.  For  some  time  the  Illinois  Experiment 
Station  has  been  conducting  investigations  with  reference  to  the  most 
desirable  distance  at  which  to  plant  the  rows  of  seed.  Table  1  gives 
in  brief  form  the  results  of  this  study. 

The  meager  data  thus  far  secured  indicate  that,  all  things  con- 
sidered, the  seed  should  be  sown  in  rows  about  28  inches  apart,  in  nar- 
row drills  6  to  8  inches  apart,  or  broadcast.  When  the  plants  are  to 

TABLE  1.— YIELDS  OF  SOYBEANS  WHEN  PLANTED  AT  DIFFERENT  DISTANCES 
(Bushels  per  acre) 


Distance  between  rows 

1911 

1912 

1913 

1914 

1915 

Broadcast  

10  1 

26.5 

7  inches     

8  6 

25.4 

14  inches  

8.2 

21.0 

16.1 

23.4 

26.5 

21  inches  

17.8 

21.1 

25.1 

25.9 

28  inches                   

114 

17.9 

18.2 

25.4 

25.4 

35  inches  

16.5 

18.5 

25.6 

23.8 

42  inches  

19.9 

1917]  SOYBEANS  AND  COWPEAS  IN  ILLINOIS  5 

be  used  for  hay,  sowing  broadcast  or  in  narrow  drills  might  be  prefer- 
able under  good  conditions,  but  where  much  cultivation  is  likely  to  be 
necessary  to  destroy  weeds,  planting  in  rows  is  usually  the  best  practice. 

The  common  wheat  drill  is  satisfactory  for  planting  soybeans.  In 
the  investigations  carried  on  at  Urbana,  the  7-inch  drill  has  given 
good  results.  It  is  possible  to  stop  a  part  of  the  holes  so  that  rows 
may  be  planted  at  any  of  the  distances  mentioned  in  Table  1. 

Methods  of  cultivating  this  crop  are  the  same  as  those  regularly 
used  for  corn.  The  weeder  is  a  desirable  implement,  and  may  be  used 
for  a  time  even  when  the  beans  are  seeded  broadcast  or  in  narrow  drills. 
Soybeans  are  fairly  good  weed  fighters,  but  they  should  be  helped  as 
much  as  possible  in  their  struggle. 

INOCULATION 

It  is  usually  advisable  to  inoculate  soybeans.  The  surest  way  to 
accomplish  this  is  by  means  of  well-infected,  natural  soil,  collected 
where  soybeans  have  grown  with  an  abundance  of  root  nodules.  Soy- 
beans are  not  cross-inoculated  by  bacteria  from  other  legumes. 

The  glue  method  of  inoculation,  first  suggested  by  this  station, 
has  been  found  very  satisfactory.  Prepare  a  solution  by  heating  one 
gallon  of  water  and  six  ounces  of  glue.  Moisten  the  soybeans  with 
the  mixture  and  sift  over  them  well-pulverized,  infected  soil.  Apply 
sufficient  dirt  to  give  a  thin  coating  for  each  seed.  Stir  until  the  seeds 
are  practically  dry,  and  plant  within  a  day*  or  two. 

Inoculation  may  be  accomplished  by  drilling  100  pounds  of  soil 
per  acre  with  the  seed,  or  by  broadcasting  500  to  1,000  pounds  of 
infected  soil  after  the  ground  is  plowed  and  before  the  seed  bed  is 
prepared.  For  general  practice,  the  Illinois  Station  does  not  recom- 
mend commercial  cultures  for  inoculation  of  soybeans  or  other 
legumes. 

How  SOYBEANS  ARE  HARVESTED 

When  grown  for  hay,  soybeans  may  be  harvested  successfully 
with  the  mowing  machine,  binder,  or  a  regular  pea  harvester.  When 
the  beans  are  cut  with  the  mowing  machine,  it  is  best  to  follow  immedi- 
ately with  the  fork  and  throw  the  cut  plants  over  so  that  when  the 
mower  comes  around  the  field  again  it  will  not  ride  over  and  mash 
down  the  swath  previously  cut.  If  the  beans  are  of  an. upright  variety 
and  are  not  blown  down,  the  crop  can  be  harvested  with  the  binder. 
If  the  plants  have  lodged  badly,  it  may  be  necessary  to  put  lifters  on 
the  cutter  bar. 

Cutting  with  a  pea  harvester  is  not  practiced  to  any  great  extent, 
since  the  machine  is  a  considerable  item  of  cost  and  cannot  be  used 
for  any  other  purpose.  One  objection  to  its  use  is  that  it  cuts  the 
plants  below  the  surface  of  the  ground. 


6  BULLETIN  No.  198  [April, 

WHEN  TO  CUT  SOYBEANS 

Soybeans  should  be  cut  for  hay  as  soon  as  the  pods  are  well  formed. 
At  this  stage  of  growth  the  plants  have  not  begun  to  lose  their  leaves. 
Later  than  this  period  many  of  the  leaves  fall  and  the  plants  grow 
woody.  The  same  rules  which  govern  the  making  of  timothy  or  alfalfa 
hay  apply  for  soybean  hay. 

In  cutting  soybeans  for  seed,  the  safest  recommendation  is  to 
cut  just  before  there  is  any  danger  of  shattering.  Some  varieties  shat- 
ter badly  and  should  be  watched  carefully  for  this  reason.  The  crop 
may  be  threshed  with  an  ordinary  threshing  machine  with  the  con- 
caves set  low  and  half  the  teeth  removed.  The  speed  of  the  cylinder 
must  be  reduced  to  about  six  or  seven  hundred  revolutions  a  minute, 
to  avoid  splitting  the  beans. 

VARIETY  TRIALS  FOR  CENTRAL  ILLINOIS 
TESTS  AT  URBANA,  IN  CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY 

Soybean  variety  tests  at  Urbana  were  systematically  started  on 
the  University  South  Farm  in  1903.  The  seeding  has  been  done  with 
an  ordinary  grain  drill,  the  seed  openings  being  closed  so  as  to  place 
the  drill  rows  24  to  32  inches  apart.  As  a  rule,  the  drill  gage  is  set  for 
four  or  five  pecks  per  acre,  depending  upon  the  size  of  the  bean.  During 
the  early  stages  of  its  growth  the  crop  is  cultivated  with  the  weeder, 
and  later  with  the  common  cultivator.  No  special  methods  of  cultiva- 
tion have  been  followed  in  these  variety  trials. 

The  data  reported  have  been  obtained  for  the  most  part  from  two 
rotations,  as  follows:  (1)  corn,  corn,  corn,  and  soybeans;  (2)  corn, 
corn,  spring  grains,  and  clover.  The  soybeans  were  grown  in  the 
second  rotation  only  when  clover  failed.  In  each  of  these  rotations, 
a  live-stock  system  and  a  grain  system  of  farming  are  represented. 
The  results  reported  in  Tables  2  and  3  are  the  averages  of  the  yields 
from  both  of  these  systems  from  1903  to  1913,  and  from  the  grain 
system  only,  for  the  years  1914,  1915,  and  1916. 

Haberlandt,  Hong  Kong,  Chestnut,  Amherst,  Ebony,  Sherwood, 
Meyer,  and  Nuttall  are  leading  varieties  in  central  Illinois,  for  seed 
production.  Ebony  is  a  standard,  consistent-yielding,  medium-late 
variety.  Medium  Yellow,  altho  not  a  high-yielding  variety  in  seed,  is 
an  early  type,  and  for  this  reason  it  is  usually  planted  when  winter 
wheat  is  to  follow  soybeans. 

Some  of  the  regular  trials  at  Urbana  were  planned  for  the  pur- 
pose of  obtaining  information  with  reference  to  the  hay  yields  of  the 
soybeans  in  the  live-stock  system  of  farming.  The  yields  are  reported 
in  Tables  4  and  5,  but  final  conclusions  should  not  be  drawn  from  the 
figures  since  they  cover  only  a  few  years. 


1917] 


SOYBEANS  AND  COWPEAS  IN  ILLINOIS 


TABLE  2.  —  AVERAGE  YIELDS  OF  SEED  FROM  VARIETIES  OF  SOYBEANS  GROWN  AT  URBANA 
(Bushels  per  acre) 

«W 

O  t>  OS  CO  rH 

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rH  i-H               rH 

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CD  t>^  in  o  eo' 

in  rH  CQ  O  rH 
rH  rH  i-H  rH 

o  CQ  co  in  cq 
co'  I-H  ci  co  eo' 

CO  rH  OS  rH  rH 
rH  rH  i-H  rH 

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os  oo  oo  oo  •«*< 

l-H 

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CQ          CQ 

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03 
> 

Medium  Green  
Ebony  
Ito  San  
Ogema  
Haberlandt  

ii 

iHsl, 

Hong  Kong  
Wilson  
Tashing  
Nuttall  
Sherwood  

ii|lj 

1 

ft 

CO                    *    fn 
°°                  •  J3 

rH                  go 

Medium  Green  Northern 
Brownie  
Acme  
Yellow  

BULLETIN  No.  198 


[April, 


TABLE  3. — COMPARABLE  AVERAGE  YIELDS  OF  SEED  FROM  VARIETIES  OF  SOYBEANS 

GROWN  AT  URBANA  USING  MEDIUM  GREEN  AS  A  STANDARD 

(Bushels  per  acre) 


Variety 

Total 
number 
of  tests 

Number 
of  years 
compared 

Years  on  which  comparison 
is  based 

Average 
yield 

Medium  Green  

19 

11 

1906-1916 

15.7 

Ebony  

45 

11 

>t       » 

17.8 

Medium  Green  

25 

10 

1903-1912 

16.1 

Ito  San  

14 

10 

>}       }  > 

14.3 

Medium  Green  

21 

9 

1904-1912 

15.3 

Ogema  

10 

9 

j  >       it 

57 

Medium  Green  

10 

g 

1909-1916 

166 

Haberlandt  

10 

8 

it  •     it 

21  7 

Medium  Green  
Black  

17 
11 

7 

7 

1903,  1904,  1906-1909,  1911 

16.7 
9.5 

Medium  Green  

14 

7 

1906-1912 

16  2 

Amherst  

9 

7 

»       it 

18  7 

Medium  Green  

9 

7 

1910  1916 

16  6 

Chestnut  

9 

7 

i  >       » 

20  8 

Swan  

9 

7 

it       ti 

16  6 

Meyer  

9 

7 

it       a 

189 

Hong  Kong  

9 

7 

»       t> 

220 

Wilson  

9 

7 

)>       » 

184 

Medium  Green  

7 

6 

1910,  1911,  1913-1916 

173 

Tashing  

7 

6 

a        a        a        it 

160 

Nuttall  

7 

6 

tt         a         »         » 

19.6 

Sherwood  

7 

6 

it         ti         >t         ii 

19.6 

Medium  Green  

15 

6 

1903-1905,  1912,  1915,  1916 

14.6 

Medium  Yellow  

10 

6 

)f        a        11        it        it 

13.3 

Medium  Green  

5 

4 

1910-1913 

17.9 

Flat  King  

5 

4 

»       ft 

15.6 

Medium  Green  

4 

4 

1910,  1911,  1913,  1914 

190 

Hollybrook  

4 

4 

it        if        ti        if 

158 

Medium  Green  

11 

3 

1903-1905 

159 

Early  Yellow  

5 

3 

t}       ti 

134 

Medium  Green  

4 

3 

1914-1916 

14J 

A.  K  

4 

3 

)  t       t  > 

21.3 

Medium  Green  

6 

2 

1904,  1905 

17.3 

Early  Yellow  Dwarf 

2 

2 

)t       t> 

10.5 

Medium  Green  

3 

2 

1910,  1912 

17.0 

Early  Black  

2 

2 

it       i> 

10.1 

Medium  Green  

2 

2 

1910,  1911 

220 

Habaro  

2 

2 

>  i       t> 

195 

Merko  

2 

2 

>!             ft 

218 

Pingsu  

2 

2 

11             )  1 

271 

U.  S.D.A.  No.  16786.. 
Jet  

2 
2 

2 

2 

if            it 
ft            It 

22.9 
23.8 

Medium  Green  

5 

2 

1903,  1904 

19.0 

Earlv  White  .  . 

3 

2 

it       it 

11.7 

1917] 


SOYBEANS  AND  COWPE.YS  IN  ILLINOIS 


TABLE  4. — AVERAGE  YIELDS  OF  HAY  FROM  VARIETIES  OP  SOYBEANS  AT  URBANA 

(Tons  per  acre) 


Variety 

1904 

1905 

1914 

1915 

1916 

Percentage 
rating 

Medium  Green  

1.41 

1.23 

1.87 

1.93 

1.72 

100.0 

Medium  Yellow  

1.04 

.70 

1.80 

1.27 

133.7 

Hong  Kong  

2.12 

2.65 

1.75 

118.1 

Chestnut  

1.59 

2.03 

1.42 

91.3 

Sherwood   

1.49 

2.13 

1.27 

88.6 

Nuttall  .          

1.35 

1.65 

1.27 

77.4 

Wilson  

1.39 

1.92 

1.75 

91.7 

Meyer  

2.27 

2.80 

1.65 

121.7 

Haberlandt  .            

1.85 

2.38 

1.27 

99.6 

A.  K  

2.06 

2.19 

1.57 

105.4 

Swan                                    

1.92 

2.41 

190 

1129 

Tashinsr.  . 

1.62 

1.73 

1.32 

84.6 

Ebony  

1.70 

1.63 

1.59 

89.1 

Black  

1.63 

.67 

86.8 

Early  Yellow  

1.69 

.67 

89.1 

Ito  San  

1.51 

1.35 

107.9 

Early  Yellow  Dwarf  

.77 

.72 

56.2 

Ogema  

.75 

.42 

44.1 

Late  Yellow  

2.08 

147.5 

Early  White 

1.93 

1369 

Ito  San  Northern     .  . 

1.05 

854 

Black  Northern  

.60 

48.8 

Early  Yellow  Northern  

1.37 

111.4 

Late  Yellow  Northern  

1.35 

109.8 

Ogema  Northern  

.45 

36.6 

Medium  Green  Northern  

1.34 

108.9 

Hollybrook  .  . 

1.77 

94.7 

TABLE  5. — COMPARABLE  AVERAGE  YIELDS  OF  HAY  FROM  VARIETIES  OF  SOYBEANS 

GROWN  AT  URBANA  USING  MEDIUM  GREEN  AS  A  STANDARD 

(Tons  per  acre) 


Variety 

Total  No. 

of  tests 

No.  of  yrs. 
compared 

Years  on  which  com- 
parison is  based 

Average 
yield 

Medium  Green  

9 

4 

1904    1905    1915,  1916 

157 

Medium  Yellow  

6 

4 

»          »          y  >          )> 

2  10 

Medium  Green  

4 

3 

1914-1916 

1  84 

Hong  Kong  

4 

3 

» 

2  17 

Chestnut  

4 

3 

it 

1  68 

Sherwood  

4 

3 

» 

1  63 

Nuttall  

4 

3 

a 

1  42 

Wilson  

4 

3 

yy 

169 

Meyer  

4 

3 

» 

2  24 

Haberlandt  

4 

3 

» 

1  83 

A.  K  

4 

3 

» 

1  94 

Swan  

4 

3 

>} 

208 

Tashing  

4 

3 

» 

1  56 

Ebony  

10 

3 

a 

1  64 

Medium  Green  

6 

2 

1904-1905 

1  32 

Black  

5 

2 

» 

1  15 

Early  Yellow  

3 

2 

i  > 

1.18 

Ito  San  

3 

2 

» 

143 

Early  Yellow  Dwarf  

2 

2 

>  > 

.74 

Ocrema.  . 

2 

2 

>  > 

.58 

10 


BULLETIN  No.  198 


[April, 


Percentage 
rating 

O  t- 

o  'd 

O  r- 
i-H  i- 

•  cq  co  co 

H  ci  os  06 

H  CO  O  OS 

CO  iO   l>  t-;  00 

•*'  ci  •*  10  os 

OS  OS  >O  OS  >O 

-*  OS  r-J  (N  •* 

O    CO    t-    I—  1    Tj< 

00  r-J  CQ  t~  CO 



•    • 

<o 

iH 
O» 

1-1 

t-  oo  •"* 

•  (M 

O  1^  i- 

1  O  t* 

<M  00      •      •      • 

•  00  i-H      • 

i  i-l 

IO 

I—  1 
OS 

I-l 

0  •*  OS 

o  oo  ca 

CM 

O  CO  t~  iH  OS 

OS  rH      •      •      • 

.  oq  t-     . 

r- 

rH 

T- 

*  r-i  i-i      ' 

•* 

iH 
O> 
i-l 

OS  O  CO 

0 

•*  O  O  CO  CO 

00  00      •      •      • 

.  -^    .  Tjf    • 

i-i 

rH  rH  rH  rH 

i-i      '      *      " 

•  r-i      *  r-i      * 

co 
i-i 

0) 

I-l 

o  os  co 
t—  in>  on 

cq 

OS  OS  CO  -*  rH 

CO    TH        .        •        . 

<M 
rH 
OS 
i-l 

ia  oo  co  IM    • 

.    •  in  co    • 

3 

•  <M      •  rH 

rH 

i-H 
Ci 
rH 

30  00  i-H  t-  CO 
00  rH  -^  O  OS 
'  i-i  r-i  i-i 

"*  1C  00  t-  00 

cv;  •*  co  oo  «q 
i-i  i-i  rH 

co  oo  in  t^  co 

CO  CO  05  rH  CO 
rH  i-i 

rH  IO      •       •      • 
O  IO      *      '      • 
i-i  r-i 

t~  OS  N  OO  •* 
00  00  CO  CO  OS 

•  i-H 
•  i—  1 
i-i 

:  :  :  :  : 

0 
rH 

o» 

rH 

O  <M  IO  OS  00 
rO_  U3  rH  CO  IN 
i-i  i-i  CN  i-i  r-i 

CO  CO  CO  ^O  ^ 
t--  t-  i-J  CQ  OS 

r-i  i-i  ci  rH 

rj  N  oq  oo    • 

»O  »o  "#  CO      • 

•-H  r-i  r-i    "    * 

t,  CO     .      .  <M 

"*.  °J      '      *  °°, 

r-i  i-i    " 

^  OS  t-  OS  I—  t 
r-t  r-i  r-J  r-i  i-J 

:  :  :  :  : 

:      • 

a 

o 

01 
rH 

X)  00  00  O     • 

CO      • 

rH 

CQ      * 

00 

O 
OS 
i-H 

1O  OS 

o>    • 

•    •  m  oo  os 

t~ 

0 

a 

t-i 

sq  b- 

t~    • 

•    •  co  os  oo 

i-i 

to 

0  , 
OS 
rH 

O 

xn 

10      •      • 

CO  t~  OS  •<**  O 

rH 

£> 
O 

1 

r» 

(3 
O 

£ 

o 

9> 

II 

i^£ 

•«- 
^ 

1 

1 

r 

B 

« 

_C 

Chestnut  

fl  a 
§  > 
te   tt 

f  ~- 
02r? 

t 

P 

£ 
t 

i 

) 

fi 

°l 

a 

T 

If 

£d 

| 

j= 

E 

<; 

c 
5 

g 

C 

°3 

bo'c 

a  c 

4  f 
SW 

Medium  Yellow  
A.  K  
Early  Black  

CO 
OO 
t- 
CO 
rH 

O 
K 

4 

Early  Yellow  
Early  Yellow  Dwarf.  .  .  . 
Ito  San  Northern  
Early  Yellow  Northern  .  , 
Medium  Green  Northern 

Acme  
Yellow  

1917] 


SOYBEANS  AND  COWPEAS  IN  ILLINOIS 


11 


A  report  on  the  yield  of  soybean  straw  may  be  of  interest  to  the 
grower  who  wishes  to  raise  this  crop  primarily  for  seed  and  to  return 
the  straw  to  the  land.  Tables  6  and  7  present  the  results  obtained  at 
Urbana  from  1905  to  1916.  Among  the  varieties  grown  for  six  or 
more  years,  Meyer,  Hong  Kong,  Sherwood,  Haberlandt,  Swan,  and 
Nuttall  gave  the  highest  yields  of  straw. 

TABLE  7. — COMPARABLE  AVERAGE  YIELDS  OF  STRAW  FROM  VARIETIES  OF  SOYBEANS 
GROWN  AT  URBANA  USING  MEDIUM  GREEN  AS  A  STANDARD 

(Tons  per  acre) 


Varieties 

Total 
number 
of  tests 

Number 
of  years 
compared 

Years  on  which  com- 
parison is  based 

Average 
yield 

Medium  Green  

19 

10 

1907-1916 

.84 

Ebony  

44 

10 

a       1  1 

.96 

Medium  Green  

10 

8 

1909-1916 

.89 

Haberlandt  

10 

8 

a         n 

1.18 

Medium  Green  

14 

7 

1905,  1907-1912 

.85 

Ito  San  

8 

7 

tt        »       a 

.93 

Medium  Green  

g 

7 

1910-1916 

92 

Chestnut  

10 

7 

a       » 

.91 

Swan  

9 

7 

>t       tt 

1.15 

Meyer  

9 

7 

a        a 

1.41 

Hong  Kong  

9 

7 

a        it 

1.33 

Wilson  

9 

7 

»        it 

.98 

Medium  Green  
Tashing  

7 
7 

6 
6 

1910,  1911,  1913-1916 

.97 
.67 

Nuttall  
Sherwood  

7 
7 

6 
6 

a        »        tt       a 

1.07 
1.23 

Medium  Green  

14 

6 

1907-1912 

.79 

Amherst  

9 

6 

a       t  } 

.91 

Ogema  

6 

6 

a       tt 

36 

Medium  Green  

11 

4 

1907  1909    1911 

71 

Black  

4 

4 

a        »       it 

.36 

Medium  Green  

5 

4 

1910-1913 

87 

Flat  King  

5 

4 

»       a 

94 

Medium  Green  

4 

4 

1910,  1911,  1913,  1914 

94 

Hollybrook  

4 

4 

a          ti          tl          it 

130 

Medium  Green  

9 

4 

1905,  1912,  1915,  1916 

95 

Medium  Yellow  

6 

4 

a          a          a          tt 

69 

Medium  Green  

4 

3 

1914-1916 

.99 

A.  K  

4 

3 

it       a 

1.11 

Medium  Green  

3 

2 

1910,  1912 

96 

Early  Black  

a 

2 

a       » 

46 

Medium  Green  

2 

2 

1910,  1911 

109 

Habaro  

2 

2 

a        a 

1  16 

Pinsrsu  .  . 

2 

2 

tt        tt 

192 

Merko  

2 

2 

tt        it 

1.67 

U.  S.D.A.  No.  16786... 
Jet.. 

2 
•2 

2 
2 

a        a 
tt        a 

1.67 
1.05 

12 


BULLETIN  No.  198 


[April, 


VARIETY  TRIALS  FOR  SOUTHERN  ILLINOIS 
TESTS  AT  F  AIRFIELD,  IN  WAYNE  COUNTY 

The  variety  tests  of  soybeans  at  Fairfield  have  been  conducted 
in  a  rotation  of  corn,  soybeans,  wheat,  and  clover.  Each  year  since 
the  beginning  of  the  trials  in  1905,  the  varieties  have  been  duplicated 
in  each  of  two  divisions  allotted  to  soybeans.  Two  systems  of  farm- 
ing have  been  practiced  —  namely,  grain  and  live-stock  ;  and  each  va- 
riety has  been  grown  in  each  system  of  farming  in  each  division.  The 
north  divisions  of  the  field  are  tiled,  and  the  south,  untiled.  There- 
fore, each  variety  has  been  tested  under  four  conditions  each  year,  and 
the  average  yields  of  the  varieties  for  the  season  have  been  made  from 
these  four  tests.1  The  results  are  reported  in  Tables  8  and  9. 

Soybeans  have  preceded  wheat  in  the  rotation  ;  the  soybeans  being 
harvested,  lime  applied,  and  the  ground  then  prepared  for  winter 
wheat.  This  practice  makes  it  necessary  to  grow  only  the  early- 
maturing  varieties  so  the  crop  will  mature  before  it  is  time  to  sow  the 
wheat.  For  this  reason  the  early  varieties  have  been  grown  longer 
than  the_late  ones.  However,  owing  to  the  unfavorable  conditions  for 
the  growth  of  clover  on  the  uplands  of  southern  Illinois  in  1913,  1914, 
and  1915,  soybeans  have  been  substituted.  These  have  been,  for  the 
most  part,  the  late  varieties. 


TABLE  8.  —  AVERAGE  YIELDS  OP  VARIETIES  OF  SOYBEANS  GROWN  AT 

(Bushels  per  acre) 


Variety 

1905 

1906 

1908 

1909 

1910 

1911 

1913 

1914 

1915 

1916 

Percentage 
rating 

Medium  Green. 
Medium  Yellow. 
Early  Black  
Ito  San  
Ebony  

2.3 
2.2 
3.3 

3.8 

4.6 
1.3 
1.5 

3.0 

4.9 
8.5 
10.4 
8.8 

7.2 
10.3 
10.0 
8.2 

18.9 
16.8 
22.1 

13.6 
9.1 
8.3 
9.1 
13.0 

12.0 
11.8 

12.6 
13.4 

13.0 
9.1 

158 

9.8 
15.9 

14.9 

3.1 
4.6 

17.0 

100.0 
105.2 
97.7 
102.7 
136.8 

Sherwood  

15.1 

18.6 

16.6 

11.4 

162.1 

Hong  Kong.  .  .  . 

14.2 

15.2 

15.7 

11.9 

150.5 

Swan  

12.0 

15.7 

176 

8,1 

141.1 

Jet  

10.3 

148 

19.7 

10.6 

146.3 

Wilson  

10.7 

16.2 

14.4 

10.2 

135.8 

Amherst  

11.1 

149 

7.7 

8.8 

111.6 

Flat  King  . 

13.7 

12.6 

12.0 

121.6 

Haberlandt.  .  .  . 

•• 

... 

13.0 
9.7 

17.3 

85 

148.8 
72.8 

Meyer  

14.6 

12.1 

206.2 

Sable  

.. 

12.2 

98 

169.2 

6.4 

17.6 

184.6 

Chestnut  .  . 

132 

134.7 

*Of  the  three  varieties  grown  in  1907,  Ito  San  yielded  16.7  bushels  of  seed, 
and  Early  Black,  15.6  bushels.  Medium  Yellow  produced  no  seed.  The  1912 
crop  was  a  failure  on  account  of  excessive  rainfall. 


beginning  in  1914,  all  soybeans  in  the  live-stock  system  were  cut  for  hay. 


1917] 


SOYBEANS  AND  COWPEAS  IN  ILLINOIS 


13 


Yield  of  Varieties  on  Untreated  Land  at  Fairfield. — In  order  to 
determine  the  yielding  qualities  of  several  varieties  of  soybeans  on 
untreated  land,  tests  were  made  in  1911  which  were  fairly  representa- 
tive. In  1912  the  crop  was  a  failure  on  account  of  an  excessive  amount 
of  rain,  which  prevented  cultivation.  The  tests  were  continued  only 
to  a  limited  extent  in  1913.  The  results  appear  in  Table  10. 

Cultivated  and  Uncultivated  Soybeans. — In  1910  tests  were  start- 
ed at  Fairfield  to  determine  the  relative  yields  of  cultivated  and  uncul- 
tivated beans.  The  cultivated  beans  were  drilled  in  rows  24  inches 
apart ;  the  uncultivated  in  rows  8  inches  apart.  As  nearly  as  possible 
the  same  amount  of  seed  was  used  in  each  case.  This  experiment  was 
repeated  in  1911  and  also  in  1914.  A  summary  of  the  results  appears 
in  Table  11.  An  average  of  three  years'  crops,  including  36  tests 
each  year,  shows  1.1  bushels  difference  in  favor  of  the  uncultivated 

TABLE  9. — COMPARABLE  AVERAGE  YIELDS  OF  VARIETIES  OF  SOYBEANS  GROWN  AT 
FAIRFIELD  USING  MEDIUM  GREEN  AS  A  STANDARD 

(Bushels  per  acre) 


Variety 

Total 
number 
of 

tests 

Number 
of  years 
compared 

Years  on  which  comparison 
is  based 

Aver- 
age 
yield 

Medium  Green  

34 

9 

1905-1916,  except  1907,  1910,  1912 

7.7 

Medium  Yellow.  .  . 

30 

9 

8.1 

Medium  Green  
Early  Black  

28 
24 

6 
6 

1905-1911,  except  1907 
1  1       a         i)          » 

8.6 
84 

Medium  Green.  .  .  . 

28 

6 

1905-1913,  except  1907,  1910,  1912 

7.4 

Ito  ban  | 

24 

6 

7.6 

Medium  Green.  .  .  . 
Ebony  

18 

36 

6 
6 

1910-1916,  except  1912 
}>       )>         ft          ii 

11.7 
16.0 

Medium  Green  
Sherwood  

10 

10 

4 
4 

1913-1916 
»       >  > 

9.5 
15.4 

Hong  Kong  

10 

4 

!  f              )  ) 

143 

Swan  

10 

4 

>'               >  > 

13.4 

Jet  

10 

4 

}                 )  ) 

13.9 

Wilson  

10 

4 

>  r          » 

12.0 

Amherst  

10 

4 

3  }             >  > 

10.6 

Medium  Green  .... 
Flat  King  

6 
6 

3 
3 

1914-1916 
»       }> 

8.6. 
12.8 

Medium  Green.  .  .  . 
Haberlandt  

6 
6 

2 
2 

1913-1914 
>  >       t  > 

12.5 
15.2 

Tashing  

6 

2 

}  >       )  } 

9.1 

Medium  Green.  .  .  . 
Meyer  

4 
4 

2 
2 

1915-1916 

>  j         }  ; 

6.5 
13.4 

Sable  

4 

2 

>}             >  J 

11.0 

Mikado  

4 

2 

}>             )) 

12.0 

Medium  Green  .... 
Chestnut  .  . 

2 
2 

1 
1 

1915 
>  > 

9.8 
13.2 

BULLETIN  No.  198 


[April, 


beans  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  a  considerable  growth  of  weeds  and 
grass  may  occur  where  beans  are  uncultivated. 

In  1914  and  1915  beans  were  planted  principally  in  24-inch  and 
32-inch  rows.  The  acre-yields  are  shown  in  Table  12. 

Yields  of  Varieties  of  Soybeans  Grown  for  Hay. — Beginning  in 
1914  all  varieties  of  soybeans  in  the  live-stock  system  of  farming  were 
harvested  for  hay.  They  were  grown  in  rows  32  inches  apart  and  were 
well  cultivated.  The  yields  each  year  have  been  computed  by  aver- 
aging the  results  from  the  tiled  and  the  untiled  portions  of  the  field. 
They  are  expressed  in  tons  per  acre  of  thoroly  air-dry  hay 
(Table  13). 

Best  Variety  of  Soybeans  for  SoutJiern  Illinois. — Just  which  is  the 
best  variety  of  soybeans  for  southern  Illinois  depends  upon  the  use 
for  which  the  crop  is  intended.  For  the  largest  tonnage  of  hay  and 
the  largest  yield  of  beans  per  acre,  the  late  beans  are  best.  Varieties 

TABLE  10. — AVERAGE  YIELDS  OF  VARIETIES  OF  SOYBEANS  GROWN  ON 

UNTREATED  LAND  AT  FAIRFIELD 

(Bushels  per  acre) 


Variety 


1911 


1913 


Medium  Green 10.1 

Sherwood 8.3 

Ebony 7.7 

Medium  Yellow 4.4 

Ito  San 3.8 

Haberlandt 8.9 

Amherst 8.7 

U.  S.  D.  A.  No.  16786 7.9 

U.  S.  D.  A.  No.  9408 7.8 

Merko 7.7 

Meyer • 776 

Hong  Kong 7.4 

Hollybrook , 7.1 

Swan 

Wilson ._. 6.9 

Pingsu 5.5 

Jet 5.4 

Flat  King 5.0 

Tashing 4.1 

Chestnut 2.9 

Early  Black ~2J 

Ogema 1.1 


8.6 
9.8 
8.6 

8.7 
8.2 


7.1 


TABLE  11. — AVERAGE  YIELDS  OF  CULTIVATED  AND  UNCULTIVATED  SOYBEANS 

GROWN  AT  FAIRFIELD 

(Bushels  per  acre) 


1910 


1911 


1914 


3-year 
average 


Cultivated :     24-inch  rows .  . 
Uncultivated:    8-inch  rows. 


17.7 
20.8 


11.6 
11.6 


14.0 
14.0 


14.4 
15.5 


1917] 


SOYBEANS  AND  COWPEAS  IN  ILLINOIS 


15 


TABLE  12. — AVERAGE  YIELDS  OF  BEANS  AND  HAY  GROWN  AT  FAIRFIELD 
(Bushels  and  tons  per  acre) 


Eow  space 

IS 

14 

1< 

115 

Beans 

Hay 

Beans 

Hay 

24  inches     

14.0 

1.29 

16.4 

1.86 

13.3 

1.11 

15.9 

1.90 

40  inches  

12.2 

1.55 

TABLE  13. — AVERAGE  YIELDS  OF  HAY  FROM  VARIETIES  OF  SOYBEANS 
GROWN  AT  FAIRFIELD  (Tons  per  acre) 


Variety 


1914 


1915 


Sherwood  .  .        

1.97 

2.08 

Ebony  

1.58 

1.93 

Jet  

1.40 

2.06 

Swan  

1.39 

2.06 

Wilson  

1.43 

1.96 

Hong  Kong  

1.33 

2.05 

Flat  King  

1.54 

1.75 

Amherst  

1.55 

1.34 

Medium  Yellow   

.99 

1.89 

Medium  Green  

1.63 

1.10 

Sable  

2.16 

Meyer  

2.03 

Chestnut  

1.71 

Haberlandt  

1.52 

Mikado  

1.38 

Tashinsr.  . 

.73 

such  as  Sherwood  and  Ebony  give  good  yields  both  of  hay  and  of 
beans.  Where  winter  wheat  is  to  follow  soybeans  after  the  removal 
of  the  soybeans  in  the  fall,  the  early  varieties,  such  as  Medium  Yellow 
and  Medium  Green  are  preferable,  as  they  can  be  removed  before  it 
is  necessary  to  prepare  the  ground  for  wheat. 

Medium  Yellow  is  preferred  to  Medium  Green  because  it  yields 
more  and  does  not  crack  badly  in  threshing,  as  does  Medium  Green. 
Medium  Green  shatters  badly  in  ripening.  Ebony  is  a  later  variety. 
It  produces  good  crops  of  fine  quality  seed  and  hay.  The  stems  are 
fine,  the  leaves  do  not  shatter  much,  and  the  beans  do  not  crack  badly 
in  threshing. 

COWPEAS 

Cowpeas  should  be  planted  after  the  best  date  for  planting  corn. 
They  usually  vine  too  much  to  permit  harvesting  with  a  binder ;  other- 
wise, methods  of  seeding,  cultivation,  harvesting,  and  threshing  are 
the  same  for  cowpeas  as  for  soybeans.  Cowpeas  are  cross-inoculated 
with  bacteria  from  many  other  common  legume  crops ;  but  unless  the 
soil  is  known  to  contain  the  proper  bacteria,  it  is  advisable  to  obtain 
soil  from  a  field  on  which  well-inoculated  cowpeas  were  previously 
grown,  and  proceed  according  to  the  method  outlined  for  soybean 
inoculation. 


16 


BULLETIN  No.  198 


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SOYBEANS  AND  COWPEAS  IN  ILLINOIS 


17 


General  remarks 

Stems  too  coarse  for  best 
quality  hay.  Another 
bean  called  Hong  Kong, 
and  known  as  U.  S.  D.  A. 
No.  22407,  has  medium- 
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leaves  well.  Seeds  are 
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SOYBEANS  AND  COWPEAS  IN  ILLINOIS 


19 


VARIETY  TRIALS  FOR  CENTRAL  ILLINOIS 
TESTS  AT  URBANA,  IN  CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY 

Cowpea  variety  trials  were  first  conducted  at  Urbana  in  1901  on 
the  University  North  Farm.  In  1903  these  trails  were  systematically 
started  on  the  South  Farm.  Seeding  and  methods  of  management 
have  been  carried  on  in  the  same  manner  as  described  for  soybeans. 
Data  regarding  varieties  of  cowpeas  were  obtained  largely  from  a  rota- 
tion of  corn,  corn,  corn,  and  legumes  (soybeans  or  cowpeas).  The  sys- 
tem of  farming  which  was  followed  would  correspond  more  nearly 
to  what  is  now  known  as  the  live-stock  system,  since  manure  was  re- 
turned to  the  land  instead  of  crop  residues. 

Cowpeas  have  given  rather  unsatisfactory  results  at  Urbana.  For 
seed  production,  soybeans  are  so  superior  that  the  Station  has  con- 

TABLE  15. — AVERAGE  YIELDS  OF  SEED  FROM  VARIETIES  OF  COWPEAS  GROWN 
AT  URBANA    (Bushels  per  aci'e) 


Variety 

1901 

1904 

1905 

1906 

1907 

1908 

1909 

Whippoorwill  

.3 

.0 

2.3 

3.7 

.0 

.0 

.0 

Extra  Early  Black  Eye  

.9 

4.5 

7.8 

3.0 

7.3 

6.0 

9.4 

New  Era      

3.5 

6.7 

6.6 

3.3 

.7 

1.2 

Michigan  Favorite  

.9 

9.4 

1.7 

.0 

.7 

1.3 

Wonderful  

.9 

.0 

.4 

.0 

Black  

.0 

.0 

.5 

.0 

\Varren  's  Extra  Early 

2.1 

3.4 

1.5 

.0 

Taylor  

.0 

.0 

Clay  

.0 

.0 

Old  Man   .  .              

1.0 

.5 

Large  Black  Eye  

.8 

Red  Ripper  

.0 

Rice  

.0 

Iron  

.0 

Gallivant.  . 

.0 

Buckbee  's  Early  Prolific |     . .      |      . .  .7     | 


TABLE  16. — AVERAGE  YIELDS  OF  HAY  FROM  VARIETIES  OF  COWPEAS  GROWN 
AT  URBANA    (Tons  per  acre) 


Variety 

1901 

1904 

Whippoorwill  

1.66 

.91 

Extra  Early  Black  Eye  

2.03 

.70 

1.30 

Michigan  Favorite  

1.14 

Wonderful     

2.46 

.81 

Black  

2.02 

1.40 

Warren  's  Extra  Early  

.82 

Tavlor   

2.25 

.75 

Cla'y     

1.80 

1.30 

Large  Black  Eye  

1.46 

Red  Ripper             .                    

.80 

.97 

Iron                        .                

.91 

Gallivant.  . 

.73 

20 


BULLETIN  No.  198 


[April, 


ducted  few  field  trials  with  cowpeas.    Tables  15,  16,  and  17  give  the 
yields  of  cowpea  seed,  hay,  and  straw  for  the  Urbana  field. 

TABLE  17. — AVERAGE  YIELDS  OF  STRAW  FROM  VARIETIES  OF  COWPE\S  GROWN 

AT  URBANA 
(Tons  per  acre) 


Variety 


I  1905  |  1906  |  1907  | 1908  |  1909 


Whippoorwill  

1.58 

1.24 

.35 

.69 

.00 

Extra  Early  Black  Eye  

1.00 

1.08 

.58 

68 

New  Era  

1.60 

1.15 

75 

.82 

Michigan  Favorite  

1.17 

1  18 

.42 

93 

.78 

Wonderful  

1.54 

.00 

Black  

61 

96 

Warren  's  Extra  Early  

1.12 

.44 

.62 

Old  Man  

1.45 

.35 

Buckbee  's  Earlv  Prolific  .  . 

1.54 

VARIETY  TRIALS  FOR  SOUTHERN  ILLINOIS 
TESTS  AT  FAIRFIELD,  IN  WAYNE  COUNTY 

Cowpeas  are  grown  in  southern  Illinois  to  a  greater  extent  than 
soybeans,  both  for  seed  and  for  hay.  In  some  localities  they  do  not 
seem  to  yield  so  well  as  soybeans ;  in  other  localities  they  yield  better. 
At  Fairfield  they  were  dropped  from  the  rotation  because  of  their  fail- 
ure to  mature  before  it  was  necessary  to  prepare  the  ground  for  wheat, 
and  because  they  produced  less  seed  per  acre  than  soybeans.  In  some 
years  they  have  yielded  nearly  as  much  as  soybeans,  but  generally 
they  have  produced  considerably  smaller  crops.  The  results  of  the 
tests  with  cowpeas  at  Fairfield  appear  in  Table  18. 

TABLE  18. — AVERAGE  YIELDS  OF  VARIETIES  OF  COWPEAS  GROWN  AT  FAERFIELD 

(Bushels  per  acre) 


Variety                      1  1905  1  1906  1  1907)  1908J  1909|  1910 

1911il912|Average 

Black  
Michigan  Favorite  
Whippoorwill  

2.2 
2.1 

.0 
.0 

2.8 
5.5 

12.1 
9.4 

1.1 
5.9 

3.5 
3.7 

12.9 
15.3 
14.9 

.0 
.0 

'.0 

5.2 
7.2 
3.4 
3.5 

New  Era  

3.0 

4.1 

3.1 

By  inspecting  the  yields  of  soybeans  given  in  Table  9,  it  will  be 
seen  that  the  range  of  average  yields  is  from  6.5  to  16.0  bushels  per 
acre,  while  the  range  of  average  yields  of  cowpeas,  as  shown  in  Table 
18,  is  only  from  3.4  to  7.2  bushels  per  acre. 

Not  only  the  low  yield  of  the  cowpea,  but  its  frequent  failure  to 
mature,  makes  it  less  desirable  than  the  soybean.  It  must  be  borne  in 
mind  that  on  poor,  unfertilized,  sour  soils,  where  the  soybean  cannot 
make  its  best  growth,  the  cowpea  may  be  the  better  crop ;  but  where 
rational  soil  improvement  is  practiced,  the  comparable  data  thus  far 
secured  are  markedly  in  favor  of  the  soybean. 


UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS-URBANA 


